Earlier this week, the Kentucky Wesleyan College Alumni Association and the Senior Class of 2022 unveiled a new 8-foot-tall carved wooden statue of Wesley N. Panther.
Summer Aldridge, Director of Alumni Relations, said that with its location directly in front of the prospective student parking lot, the new on-campus light fixture will serve as a welcoming space for campus visitors.
The senior class committee began meeting to identify a campus giveaway in September 2021. After exploring a few options, they decided to move forward with the sculpture in January with a target unveiling date of the week. of graduation.
Abby and Nikki Peterson of Woodlife Sculpture in Breckenridge County made the chainsaw sculpture. The statue is made from a poplar that was felled in Breckenridge County.
“It will of course also be used by current and former students when they return home to campus,” Aldridge said. “We hope to continue to improve this specific part of the campus in the years to come.”
When the two groups began meeting last fall, Aldridge said it became clear they understood the mission; to find a spot on campus that needs a class to leave its mark and leave something for future generations of Panthers.
Leigha Taylor, senior director of development, said $5,000 was not an easy amount to achieve, but the senior committee was confident they could do it with the help of others.
The gift was the brainchild of senior student Abby Tivitt ’22. She regularly attended meetings, met often with the advancement team, did community outreach and many fundraisers, all while managing a difficult course load and being heavily involved in other student organizations.
